Anarktica A5 Game Book

7/27/2019 Anarktica A5 Game Book

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ANARKTICA


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Alchemy is real, and more powerful than could have been ever

imagined. Ever since Isaac Newton discovered in 1693 thatmetals contained life, it was simply a matter of time before he

found a means to command that life and the metal itself.

During the European wars of the 18th century, Newton and his

students protected the shores of the newly united countries of

Great Britain. Though crude by todays standards, the powersof Newtons ferromancers were enough to repel enemy fleets,

persuading joints to rust, cannon to burst and shot to melt.

Exhausted and humiliated, the old kingdoms of Europe

collapsed into revolution. In the turmoil, knowledge of the new

alchemy flooded across the continent. There was a brief lull ofenlightenment as each nation drew breath before the new

Peoples governments, hungry for power and importance,

delved unrestrained into the darkest practices of demonology.

Led by men who had seized power in the name of peace,

Europe fell into the deadliest conflict of its history.

But Newton, his life now extended by his discovery of the elixir

of youth, had not rested on his laurels. In strictest secrecy, he

and the Fellows of Oxford had gradually revealed that the life

within metal existed also within stone, then water, and finally

in the air itself. When the demon Napoleon arose from the

anguish of the victims of the revolutionary wars, Newtonsnewly trained phalanx of Alchemages stood ready to defeat him

and lead their island nation to their Imperial destiny.

BRIEF HISTORY OFALCHEMYA


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FA T E O F H E R O E S ANARKTICA


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UICK START GUIDE

Read out the back cover, inside front cover and ScenarioOverview. (pg. 2)

Each player picks a character (see separate Game Materials) andreads out the front of their character sheet.

The Adversary player reads alone the Playing as the Adversarysection. (pg. 23)

Players suggest a Terrible Secret (pg. 5) for others and pick one forthemselves.

Play AdviceEach scene has a spotlight character responsible for starting and

ending the scene. (pg.13)

The other players narrate their own character, add description, playsecondary characters, own their elements, add location events

(inside back cover) and use the ritual phrasesMore details, Stay with

it, Do it differently, Id like to throw something in, That might not be quite so

easy, I need to clarify something. (pg. 16)

That might not be quite so easyand resolution cards (pg. 18) are onlyused in relation to action by a Hero, never on an action of a

secondary character or the Adversary.

Players progress their characters (pg. 21) when prompted on theircharacter sheet.

Intended for story gamers alreadyexperienced with Archipelago orLove in the Time of Sei


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Playing the Game

The Champion leads the first Opening Scene where they arerecruited by the Agent. (pg. 7)

The Savage leads the second Opening Scene with the Agent.The Mage leads the third Opening Scene with the Agent.The Agent sets up and leads the progress of the expedition and its

encounter with the Tsarists on the coast of Anarktica.

The Adversary resolves the encounter and narrates the destructionof the two expeditions.

Starting with the player to the left of the Adversary, the playerdescribes how their Hero escaped from the doomed expeditionand where he or she came ashore. (pg. 8)

At the start of each subsequent scene, the Hero chooses to have aJourney or Rest scene (pg. 9), chooses a location and starts

narrating the scene.

Final Confrontation

When the players wish to move to the final confrontation (pg. 12),the Adversary player takes the spotlight and it remains with them

until the story is resolved.

Epilogues

Each player can provide an epilogue (pg. 12) for their characterand additional a story element they owned.


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RC 16th June 2012

Anarktica: Fate of HeroesA Steampunk story game by Epistolary Richard

Setting developed from Fate of Heroescreated byEpistolary Richard, Nick Reynolds, Fiona TW & a gamer

Rules based onArchipelago 2nd editionby Matthijs HolterCopyright 2012 Owners stated above. Permission granted to reproduce anddistribute without alteration or transformation, and this page (including allnotices) must be included in such use. All other rights reserved. If youd like to

do interesting things with this game, then contact us!

With thanks to:Matthijs Holter & Jason Morningstar for allowing use of

Archipelago and Love in the Time of Sei.Pete for initial playtestingLondon Indie RPG Meetup for bringing the creators together

Image credits:Cover, from map Polus Antarcticusby Jan Janssonius (1657)Compass image, A Mariners Compass by John David (1607)Quick start ship image, the Kaga, Kure Maritime MuseumResolution card reverse, Wilkins Sound, NASAAdversary sheet reverse,McMurdo Dry Valleys, NASA

This game is not endorsed by NASA. These images are believed to be in the

public domain, no copyright infringement is intended.

Anarktica: Fate of Heroes is a free story game and is distributed without payment to theauthors or contributors. If you play and enjoy this game, please consider donating whatyou feel it is worth to the Mines Advisory Group atwww.justgiving.com/anarktica(UK)or www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/anarktica/anarktica (US)

The Mines Advisory Group is a neutral, impartial humanitarian organisation dedicated toclearing the remnants of conflict and enabling the recovery of affected people.
http://www.justgiving.com/anarkticahttp://www.justgiving.com/anarkticahttp://www.justgiving.com/anarkticahttp://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/anarktica/anarkticahttp://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/anarktica/anarkticahttp://www.justgiving.com/anarktica


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Contents

A Brief History of Alchemy inside front cover If you are versed in the ways of story games 1 If youve never played a story game before 1 Scenario Overview 2Warming up If this is the first time you play 3 Introduce the setting 4Setting up Choose a character 5 Suggest & Pick a Terrible Secret 5Playing the Game Opening Scenes 7 Anarktica 8 Final Confrontation 12 Epilogues 12

Play Advice What do you do when youre in the spotlight? 13 What do you do when youre not in the spotlight? 14 Using Ritual Phrases 16 Drawing Resolution Cards 18 Owning Story Elements 19 Progressing your Character 21

Playing as the Adversary Starting Out 23 Developing the Adversary 24 Designing the Final Confrontation 26 The Adversary 29Game SummaryExample Locations & Events inside back cover


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1

If you are versed in the ways of story gamesAnarktica is a low prep, quick playing scenario based on the

Archipelago 2nd

editionrule-set by Matthijs Holter and inspired by itsgaming offspring Love in the Time of Sei by Matthijs Holter and

Jason Morningstar. It requires five players, no GM and should take

three to five hours.

If youve never played a story game beforeYou probably played a game when you were a child called One-Word story. You and some others would sit in a circle and one of

you would start off with the first word of a sentence. The next

child around the circle would add the second word and the one

after the third. By every child adding a word, the group would

soon complete the sentence, and then another sentence, and then

a paragraph. If you played for long enough, eventually you wouldcomplete an entire story all together as a group. Thats one of the

most basic story games.

This is like that. However, instead of adding a single word, each

player narrates what happens in an entire scene. Other players can

help by posing questions, adding new ideas, or providing the voice

of the characters who appear as the story develops. In Anarktica,the primary means by which other players help is through using

what we call ritual phrases. Theres a section on these later on.

Also, there are some special characters called the Heroes and the

Adversary who are owned and voiced by a single player. They

are the central characters of the story ofAnarktica.


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Scenario OverviewAnarktica tells the story of a group of four heroes, their journey

across the land of Anarktica, and their encounters with itsinhabitants, creatures, monsters and mysteries. Outwardly brave

and resolute, each hero is saddled with a terrible secret that tears at

their soul and taints their trust in their companions until finally

they encounter the Adversary and their true nature is revealed.

The SettingThe setting is the coast and continent of Anarktica, a steampunkversion of Antarctica. The Heroes are inhabitants of a developed

world, ruled by civilized empires, but they face the last, untameable

wilderness left on the planet. All the grandeur and dangers of the

real world Antarctica experienced by the great explorers of the

heroic age such as Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott are present,

along with whatever fantastical creations the players wish to add.

Play functionThe game plays out in a series of scenes, collaboratively narrated

by the players. Each scene has a spotlight player whose character

is central to that scene. The spotlight player establishes the scene

and narrates the actions and thoughts of their character. All the

players (including the spotlight player) narrate the other parts of

the fiction, including other characters (and especially their owncharacter).

Each player also has ownership of certain elements of the fiction

as dictated by the character theyre playing.


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3

WA R M I N G U P

While there is no GM, the game greatly benefits from having one

player more familiar with the game or with story gaming in general

who can introduce the game at the beginning. In the event of a tie,

the privilege falls to whoever brought the game along.

Depending on the experience of the group, the introducer may

have other players read aloud the preceding pages If youve neverplayed a story game before and the Scenario overview.

If this is the first time you playThe introducing player should run a short exercise to teach the

ritual phrases and ensure the players are comfortable with thematerial in the Play Advice chapter, particularly with their roles

when their characters are in and out of the spotlight.

Explain each ritual phrase and answer questions. Then decide on a familiar setting.

Learning the rules by trying them out before the game means you can take lots

of chances. Use this opportunity to push the boundaries of what you think the

group will accept! Make them guide you!

Your setting can be something from a movie or TV show you all know; as

long as everyone has a feel for the genre and characters it will be fine. It is

disposable!


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Take turns narrating stories or events in this setting. While someone narrates,

the others should listen actively for an opportunity to use one of the phrases.

Ask for more detail! Throw something in! Tell them it wont be that easy!

Whenever someone has had two or three phrases directed at them, and

acted/reacted accordingly, the turn passes to the next player. By the end of the

exercise, youve all both given and received instruction.

Make sure everyone understands how they can contribute, even when their

characters are not the focus of the story. This exercise may feel silly or

redundant, but being comfortable with the phrases is the key to a good game.1

Once youve completed this exercise and everyone is comfortable

with the phrases, run through and answer questions on what else

players can do when their character isnt in the spotlight:

Introduce and play secondary characters Introduce and describe location events Introduce or veto items of their owned story elements

Introduce the settingThe introducing player should read out the background on the

back cover and then ask another player to read aloud the page

entitled A brief history of Alchemy on the inside front cover.

Finally, the introducer should briefly outline the five available

characters. These pieces together provide all the background a

group needs to know to start getting into the game.

1This section is taken from Love in the Time of Sei and is used with permission.


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S E T T I N G U P

Choose a characterBefore beginning the game, each player chooses one of the

characters (see character sheets in the separate Game Materials).

Anarktica includes five characters: the four Heroes and the

Adversary. The four Heroes all play in a similar manner, while the

Adversary has some special rules as detailed in the Playing as the

Adversary section below.

Each player reads out the front of their character sheet to the

group (including their element ownership) and each Hero player

gives their character a name on the back of the sheet.

The reverse of each Hero character sheet is entitled Expedition

Log. Players use this to progress the Heroes through theiradventure and keep a note of whats been established in relation to

their owned story elements. Theres more detail on these in

Progessing your character and Story element ownership in the

Play Advice chapter below.

Suggest & Pick a Terrible SecretIn addition, each character has a Terrible Secret particular to that

session. Each player suggests a Terrible Secret for all other

characters (not their own). The controlling player then decides

which Terrible Secret to have for this session.


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Doing this in secret is recommended, so that players write their

suggested Terrible Secrets for the other characters on paper and

hand it to the controlling player. Alternatively, if the group prefers,

suggestions can be made openly. A characters Terrible Secret

should never come from the player controlling that character.

The Adversary knows all, so if Terrible Secrets are chosen in secret

each Hero should show the Terrible Secret theyve chosen to the

Adversary player.

Effective Terrible Secrets will inject conflict between the Heroes,destroy a relationship or introduce great danger. Examples include:

For the Savage: You are the Champions illegitimate child,fathered during his brutal conquest of your country.

For the Mage: You inherited your talent as an Alchemagefrom an ancestor who was a follower of the Adversary.

For the Agent: You have secret orders to forge an alliancebetween the Empire and the Adversary by offering one of

your fellow Heroes as a blood sacrifice.

Poor Terrible Secrets are ones that are trivial, unrelated to the

current story or counter to the tone of the game desired by the

group. An example poor Terrible Secret for the Adversary would

be that it was a pink, fluffy kitten.

It is the responsibility of each player to bring their Terrible Secret

into the story. Anarktica is an unnatural land and it would not be

impossible for a Hero to encounter people they last saw long ago,

see visions of the past in the face of a glacier, or have their words,

thoughts or fears manifest into physical beings before them.


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P L A Y I N G T H E G A M E

Opening ScenesThe first three scenes are short introductions to each of the

Heroes, starting with the Champion, set before the expedition to

Anarktica departs.

The Champions player begins the scene describing a characterful

activity for their Hero, which is then interrupted by the Agent whois there to recruit the Champion for the Anarktica expedition. The

Champion and the Agent should play out the encounter, with the

Agents player using the opportunity to help define the nature of

the threat that the Empire believes exists on Anarktica.

Once the Agent has successfully recruited the Champion for the

Anarktica expedition, the Champion player closes the scene.

This same format is followed to have two more similar

introductory scenes with first the Savage and then the Mage being

recruited by the Agent.

All the Heroes should end their scene recruited to join the

expedition. If, for whatever reason, a Heros player refuses to havetheir character recruited, that player must then explain in the

expedition scene how their character was subsequently persuaded

or compelled to go.


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The ExpeditionThe Agents player begins the fourth and final Opening Scene.

They describe the expedition setting out and approaching the coast

of Anarktica. The other Heroes may add brief interludes if they

wish to allow their characters to interact.

The Agent player then describes how the Imperial expedition

encounters a rival Tsarist expedition of similar size. The Adversary

player then resolves the scene by describing how the two

expeditions are destroyed. The Hero players can interject as

needed to describe their attempts to resist and ultimately escape

from their doomed craft. This concludes the Opening.

AnarkticaThe spotlight then moves to the player on the Adversarys left,

who takes the next scene, and continues on to that players left or

however the group wishes to move the spotlight. Just as in the

Opening Scenes, the Adversary is never the spotlight player in this

section of the story.

In their initial scene on Anarktica, the spotlight player should

describe how their Hero found their way to land and where they

have come ashore. It is recommended that the Heroes begin this

section of the story separated from each other so that non-

spotlight players can focus on describing the surroundings and the

elements they own.


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At the start of each of their subsequent scenes on Anarktica, the

spotlight player chooses whether to have a Journey scene or a

Rest scene.

Journey scenesChoosing a Journey scene denotes the Hero exploring the realm of

Anarktica. They must choose a specific location, set the scene,

describe their progress through the location and any obstacles in

their path and be ready for other players to add Location Events,

threats or other aspects of the continent.

In short, choosing a Journey scene shows willingness for a scene

of action, adventure and peril.

Rest scenesChoosing a Rest scene denotes the Hero taking time to recover

from their previous exertions. Theymaychoose a new location, but

do not progress past it, or alternatively remain where they were atthe end of the last Journey scene.

Choosing a Rest scene denotes an interest in having social

interaction between the characters and having the drama come

from within the party. Rest scenes allow the Heroes to pursue their

personal agendas with each other. The spotlight player sets the

scene and then describes what their character is doing. This maybe something as benign as engaging another character in

conversation or be something more sinister. External threats can

still arise, but these should be subtle or sophisticated or merely a

harbinger of things to come, rather than pose a serious physical

threat to the Heroes.


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LocationsA list of Locations with corresponding Location Events is

included on the inside back cover. These are examples only and

players should create new events and locations as they go.

Reuniting the partyIf the Heroes begin this section separated, it is likely that at some

point the player will tire of their personal journey and wish their

character to rejoin the others so as to further their personal

agenda. Unless a Hero is captured or otherwise has their

movement restricted, their player can narrate them reuniting with

another character at any time irrespective of who is in thespotlight. Its recommended to have them appear at the most

dramatic, exciting or inconvenient moment possible.

Once Heroes are reunited, each player continues to have their own

spotlight scenes as before. The other Heroes are assumed to

journey or rest alongside them unless it is narrated otherwise.

Note that, while the game uses the terminology of Journey and Rest, there is no

requirement to Rest after a Journey scene, nor is there a set number of Journey

scenes to have before progressing to the Final Confrontation. Characters are

assumed to rest automatically when they are tired, it is simply the case when it isnot done as part of a Rest scene that nothing noteworthy occurs. There are no

specific benefits to choosing a Journey or Rest scene; they simply help each player

control the games pacing. Note also that it is high-summer in Anarktica and so,

just as in the real-world Antarctica, the sun never goes down and so none of the

Heroes could ever be considered truly rested!


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MappingYour group may wish to chart their explorations of Anarktica

using a map. Start with a blank piece of paper and have the

Agents player draw a jagged line from one long side to the other

(i.e. parallel to a short edge) to represent the coastline. In their first

spotlight scene on Anarktica, each Hero player marks the point on

the coast where they came ashore and names a nearby landmark.

In each subsequent scene, any player (including the Adversary) can

add features the Heroes encounter or see and make any notes of

events that have occurred so that the map becomes a record of thestory as a whole.

An example starting map

The Agent begins by drawing the coastline

All the Heroes mark where

they came ashore and name

a nearby landmark


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The spotlight shifts between the Hero players either in strict

rotation or as the group wishes until the story develops to the

point where it feels natural to draw it to its climax. At this point,

the story progresses to the Final Confrontation.

Final ConfrontationIn the Final Confrontation, the spotlight moves to the Adversary

player and stays with them for the remainder of the game until the

Epilogues. They are now responsible for setting the location,

establishing the scene and responding to the Heroes actions.

While the Hero players retain their element ownership, they

should look to create in coordination with the challenge that the

Adversary player has designed for them to face.

EpiloguesOnce the Final Confrontation has been completed, each of the

players (including the Adversary player) narrates an epilogue for

their character and, if they so choose, an element they owned.

Epilogues should be brief and shouldnt contain any challenges,

but should rather focus on the consequences of the journey on thecharacter in their future life, or the impact that their actions on

Anarktica had on subsequent developments in the world.


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P L A Y A D V I C E

What do you do when youre in the spotlight?Being the spotlight player is a little like being a band leader during

a jam session. You get things going, you say when to stop, you

take the lead, but youre not providing all the music.

Specifically, as the spotlight player, you should:

Choose whether to make it a Journey or Rest scene. Describe your characters location and add it to the map.

If youre struggling for an idea then use the example

locations at the back of this book for inspiration or ask for

suggestions from the group.

In a Journey scene, begin by describing the partys progressthrough the location and an obstacle in their path.

In a Rest scene, begin by describing where you are in thelocation, what you are doing and who youre with.

Portray your character by describing their actions, theirthoughts and by voicing what they say.

Continue to develop aspects of the story that have beenintroduced in a previous scene.

Be open and encourage other players to contribute. When you feel ready, draw the scene to a close, update the

map if needed, and pass the spotlight to the next player.


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What do you do when youre not in the spotlight?When your characters not in the spotlight in the scene, your role

is even more important! Your job is to support the narrative beingbuilt by the spotlight player, help develop the growing storylines

and to keep things interesting. Your tools are:

Playing your own character Adding description Adding or playing secondary characters Adding location events in a Journey scene Using ritual phrases Owning story elements

Playing your own characterEven when its another players spotlight scene, you shouldcontinue to play your character if they are present. However, when

youre playing your character out of the spotlight your goal is to

support the narrative the spotlight playing is building rather than

trying to shift the focus onto your character. If theyre spoiling for

a fight, go for it! But it theyre having some quiet introspection,

dont have your character go wild just to liven things up.

Adding descriptionYou can always add some description of the surroundings or an

item or person mentioned. Nothing more than a sentence or two.

Your goal is to enrich the groups mental image with a choice

observation rather than drown them in detail.


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Adding or playing secondary charactersYou can introduce and play a suitable secondary or background

characters (extras) at any time. Again, remember, your goal is to

support the scene and the shared storyline. Reusing a particular

secondary character over one or two scenes can provide a rich

environment. Having them muscle in on every scene pulls focus

from our actual heroes and cheapens their storylines.

Even though one player will typically create and then play a

secondary character, they arent owned by anyone. Any player can

take them over at any point.

Adding location events in a Journey sceneThe Heroes are on a quest exploring a hostile land and will

encounters dangers of both known and unnatural origin. Choosing

a Journey scene, the spotlight player has shown willingness for a

scene of action, adventure and peril so give it to them! Example

locations and events are given in the inside back cover, but you

can and should create your own.

Caution, though! Location events should be a significant source of

action and additional investment in the scene. Introducing more

than one or two will either stretch the scene beyond the groups

interest or result in them being briefly mentioned and then

unworthily discarded.

Using ritual phrases & Story element ownershipThe above tools are all ways to allow a player to add something

more to the ongoing storyline. These two (covered in the next two

sections) provide formal means for players to communicate with

each other about their contributions to aid the quality of the story.


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Using Ritual PhrasesIn any story game, players need to have the ability to not only

make creative contributions, but also to query those made byothers. This can be easy amongst friends, but awkward and

imposing amongst players who dont know each other well.

The ritual phrases exist to provide a formal, understood and

consistent means of communicating such creative queries between

the players. They are a shared language which the players can use

to help each other and improve the quality of the overall story.

There are six phrases2

More details!

, and anyone can use any of them at any

time. These phrases are an important tool to use during the game.

They should be used as instruction to make sure the story flows,

that dramatic tension increases appropriately, that everyone can

vividly imagine the fiction. A phrase should be received

accordingly; nobody is perfect, neither player nor instructor, and

acting on instruction is an act of courtesy and faith. If someone

throws you a phrase you dont agree with immediately, try it out

anyway - if things dont work out, the group will tell you!

...tells the player to provide more description of a person, object,

location or similar. This is what makes settings and characters

more real: little things like dirt under someones fingernails, frozen

reeds by a river, the silver armband thats tarnished and scratched.

2This section is taken from Love in the Time of Sei and is used with permission.


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Stay with it!...tells the player to make sure a situation or scene doesnt end

prematurely. If someone tries to cut a tense scene and jump to thenext one, for example - call stay with it! Embrace tension. Dont

wimp out!

Do it differently!...tells the player that something feels like its jarring. Are things

suddenly going Monty Python? Or is the scene going nowhere?

Rewind and try again. Youre doing everyone a favour by beingquality control, making sure that uninspiring stuff doesnt enter the

fiction youre sharing. And youre giving the other player a chance

to really shine, instead of having to stick to the half-baked thing

they just produced. Do it differently can, of course, be phrased

in whatever way your group is comfortable with - it isnt meant to

be critical or confrontational, but rather to enforce the consensus

on the games tone.

Id like to throw something in!...tells the player that you want to narrate a short interlude or

follow-up sequence. Make sure you dont steal the scene - this is

just for a sentence or two.

That might not be quite so easy!...tells the player you want someone to draw a resolution card.

Find out what the character is trying to do, then ask the spotlight

player to select someone else to draw a card and interpret it. That

might not be quite so easy is a flag that you want uncertainty

introduced. You will probably use it a lot!


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I need to clarify something!...tells the player or group theres something youve forgotten or

something you need help understanding.

Drawing Resolution CardsA resolution card is drawn whenever a player uses the phrase That

might not be quite so easy!as outlined above. The resolution cards are

the same as those used in Archipelago and Love in the Time of Sei.The one amendment made for Anarktica is that resolution cards

are only ever drawn in relation to an action taken by a Hero.

In the event of a challenge or a conflict between a Hero and a

non-Hero opponent, the resolution card is drawn in relation to

what the Hero does rather that what his enemy does.

For example, should a Hero be faced with a monstrous kraken that

seizes them in its tentacles and tries to swallow them. Rather than

drawing a resolution card to see if the kraken succeeds in eating

them, the Hero should narrate how they attempt to escape the

krakens clutches. If a player then uses That might not be quite so easy!

then another player draws a resolution card to determine if the

Hero succeeds in their attempt to escape.

This may feel artificial at times; however the resolution cards are

skewed towards success rather than failure. Restricting their use to

Hero players helps avoid the Heroes being easily slaughtered in the

multiple deadly encounters they face. The story should be one of


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breath-taking feats and narrow escapes rather than a meat-grinder

where the odds ensure the Heroes are doomed to failure.

Where two Heroes are in conflict with each other, then That mightnot be quite so easy! can be used in relation to an action taken by

either player.

There are eight different resolution cards that can be drawn

(copies can be found in the separate Game Materials). Cut them

out and either paste them on stiff card to allow them to be

shuffled or alternatively fold them up and place them in anenvelope so they can be drawn like raffle tickets. Place the

resolution card back in the mix after its been drawn so it can be

drawn again.

Owning Story ElementsEvery player owns certain elements of the fiction as defined by

their character choice. As an element owner, look for a suitable

opportunity to use the out of spotlight tools to weave that

element into the developing story.

Note that Element ownership does not prevent other players

from narrating or introducing that element to the story. Allplayers have free rein to introduce and narrate any elements.

Players only own elements to ensure that:

Every significant story element has at least one playeractively looking to introduce it

The element is internally consistent.


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Owner vetoTo provide that consistency, an element owner can veto any

narration that relates to that element.

This should only be done, however, if the owner believes it

contradicts what's already been established about that element or

the owner's vision of the element.

For example, the Agent player owns the element Technology. If a

player narrated in that a character had a satellite phone, the Agentplayer could veto the narration even if the exact level of

technology hadnt yet been established because it contradicts

their vision of the steampunk setting.

Note that a veto is different from saying Do it differently! A veto

isnt used to reflect personal taste in narration and plot; its meant

to ensure that the integrity of the setting is intact. The veto shouldbe exercised only for the means of benefitting the story as a whole.

Its okay to discuss the veto with the other players; however, the

final decision rests with the element owner. Once that decision's

been made, all players should go on with the game. If another

player really wants a story element interpreted in a particular way

then, the next time you play, they should take the respectivecharacter who owns that element.

In rare instances elements may overlap (if the party is confronted

with a techno-alchemical Tsarist beast-monster). If there is a

dispute over vetoes and it is truly not clear which is the dominant

element, then the Adversary player makes the final decision.


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Progressing your CharacterOn the reverse of each character sheet there is a column entitled

Character Progression.

Each section in the Progression column gives the player a prompt

(i.e. when they should think about it) and then a choice of options

from which the player can select. For example, with the Prompt

Before you reach Anarktica this means that, at some point

before the Hero reaches the shore of Anarktica, the player should

make their selections from the options given.


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PLAYING AS THEADVERSARY

Playing as the Adversary is a unique challenge within the game.

The Adversary player is not a GM and doesnt control a Hero and

so has few responsibilities in the early sections of the game. And

yet the ultimate success or failure of the game rests on the

Adversary player to provide a fitting and satisfying ending to the

story developed by the group.

The primary goal of the Adversary player is to provide the climax

to the Heroes stories. To help you make the climax as satisfying

for the group as possible you know the Heroes secrets, you own

several elements of the setting and you will control the spotlight

for the final scenes.

If you already have a clear idea for the Adversary, then go for it!There are no restrictions in the section below, just guidance.

Starting outIf this feels like too great a responsibility or you cant think of any

ideas right from the beginning, dont worry. You are part of agroup who are developing the story together and some of the most

effective inspiration will come from the other players.

Listen carefully to the Hero players as they read out their

characters and make a note of aspects their characters that interest

you or which appear to interest them. If youre playing a closed


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game (where the Terrible Secrets are hidden) then the other

players will show you their chosen Terrible Secret. These should

be gems of inspiration to help you build the Final Confrontation.

If you dont yet have an idea of what the Adversary should be like,

then start out small. Your first involvement in the game is as you

describe how the Imperial and Tsarist expeditions are destroyed.

Decide on a means by which this could happen (for example, the

expeditions could be destroyed by a direct attack from the

Adversarys forces, by a monster from the deep, by a storm or

other elemental forces, by treachery within one or both

expeditions).

Whatever method you pick can be a starting point as to how the

Adversary can be developed further. A direct assault could lead to

an Adversary with powerful armies, a monster could lead to an

Adversary who has mastery over beasts, internal treachery could

lead to an Adversary whose spies have infiltrated the rest of world

or who can possess others, resulting in the Heroes journey being

filled with paranoia and suspicion as they try to determine who

they can and cannot trust.

Developing the AdversaryAs the Heroes reach the coast of Anarktica and begin their

journeys do not feel as though you are responsible for placing the

obstacles in their path. If you do so, the group dynamic may

emerge where the other players look to you to set the challenges

they face in every scene, while they merely narrate the Heroes


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solutions. You will have effectively promoted yourself to GM and

removed any responsibility the others felt to create the story.

It is the entire groups responsibility to create the challenges thateach Hero will face. In the early stages of the journeys, allow the

Hero players to use their narration and aspect ownership to place

obstacles into each others paths. Even if it takes a few quiet

scenes without obvious external conflict, eventually the Hero

players will instinctively create challenges to be overcome. The less

the Adversarys influence is felt in the early scenes, the greater a

sense of mystery will build. Allow the Heroes to begin to explore

the vastness of Anarktica, use your regular player privileges to add

small elements or secondary characters who are benevolent or at

least are not immediately hostile to the Heroes, and most

importantly of all listen.

Listening to the other players, what they focus on, what they create

and what they have their characters do, is a vital means to gain

material for designing a satisfying Final Confrontation to end the

adventure. As you get ideas for interesting plot-threads, add small

pieces of the concept to scenes as hooks and see which ones the

Hero players seize upon. As they demonstrate their interest, you

should grow increasingly confident about adding significant

elements to the ongoing storyline.

At the same time, do pay attention to your aspect ownership.

Should the Heroes encounter any Anarktica natives, they will look

to gather more information about the Adversary. Ensure that

whatever is created does not conflict with your own emerging

ideas. For example, even though the Tsarists and the Tribes are


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owned by other players, you retain an ownership veto over any

concrete information they possess about the Adversary or its

forces. If information is presented as opinion or rumour, then you

can be more flexible as the truth as well as the motivations of the

informer can yet be created. Of course, anything that another

player creates about the Adversary that doesnt conflict with your

ideas can serve as great inspiration that you can develop further in

the Final Confrontation.

Designing the Final Confrontation Structure

Structurally, the Final Confrontation should consist of one or a

few preliminary scenes, the climax of the story and perhaps a

follow-on scene before the game heads into individual epilogues.

Moving to the Final Confrontation is an indicator that the group is

looking to bring the story to a head and then wrap it up, so do nottry to do too much. Confronting a group who has already taken

their Heroes across an epic journey with the start of another huge

slog is a sure way for player fatigue to set in.

If your desired Final Confrontation requires a set up over a fair

number of scenes, say the Heroes are required to infiltrate a

labyrinthine city or follow a trail of clues or a acquire certainartefacts, then start to lay the necessary elements out in the

Heroes Journey scenes. Hopefully, this will lead to the ideal

situation where the story naturally segues into the Final

Confrontation as it becomes clear that you are ready to start

setting scenes and bring the story to its conclusion.


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The actual nature of the Final Confrontation is down to you, but it

would normally consist of some supreme challenge the Heroes

would have to face. This challenge can be physical, either direct

combat with the Adversary, its forces, or passing through traps or

barriers that require strength or skill; the challenge could be

mental, incorporating puzzles or riddles and placing the resolution

squarely on the abilities of the players rather than the Heroes they

narrate.

Finally, you could confront the Heroes with a moral or ethical

challenge, threatening to expose their secrets, tempting them with

the satisfaction of their personal ambitions, or turning them

against each other.

ObjectiveYour goal for the Final Confrontation is the same as your goal for

the game of providing a satisfying climax to the Heroes stories.

This can mean different things to different people, but broadly you

should be looking to:

1) Make it cinematic2) Make it personal for the groups particular interpretations

of the Heroes

3) Bring together the disparate elements created into acoherent story

4) Make it interestingDo not confuse player satisfaction with the Heroes success. The

Heroes can fail utterly, barely escaping with their lives or even not,

and the players can be enormously satisfied. Conversely, handing

the Heroes an easy victory will likely leave the players feeling

cheated from a real challenge.


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1) CinematicsThis is the conclusion of the Heros epic journey; its not a time

for adventures to occur in vague, undefined areas. Have a specific

location in mind and describe it in sufficient detail to provide the

group with a clear mental image of what the Heroes can see, hear,

feel and smell and to come up with ideas of how they can interact

with the location themselves. If this were a movie, then this would

definitely be where most of the budget is spent.

2) Making it personalThe group should feel as though this is the climax to theirparticular story, not a cookie-cutter climax that could finish off any

session. Your primary tools to make the Final Confrontation

personal are the Heroes Terrible Secrets. Secrets that have yet to

be revealed can be exposed. Secrets that have been revealed can be

paid off and any conflicts between the Heroes brought to a head.

None of the Heroes should emerge the same character as they

arrived at Anarktica. Do not feel, though, that you must cover

every single Terrible Secret. Building the confrontation around the

most interesting one or two can be more effective than artificially

stretching so as to hit each one.

3) Bringing the story togetherHere you should be focusing on trying to make all the different

stuff thats been created through the different journeys feel asthough it is part of a coherent story. Keep a track of any loose

ends that the Heroes create; pick those you feel most relevant and

build them into the confrontation. Loose ends can include

secondary characters, information the Heroes have gathered, items

they have encountered or skills or other abilities that theyve


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developed. Say, for example, that a Hero has spent several scenes

gradually gaining the trust of a native tribe who captured them and

ultimately was initiated into their ranks. That tribe, or the

consequences of that rite, become all the more significant if they

can be tied into the Final Confrontation.

Loose ends can even be Heroes themselves if they have somehow

fallen during their journeys. The Final Confrontation is an ideal

time to re-introduce any of them who have been captured or

incapacitated in the wastes of Anarktica.

4) Making it interestingA key component for any satisfying gameplay is for it be

interesting. If you intend to confront the Heroes with any

significant decision (for example, requiring them to sacrifice one of

their party to ensure the others safety), then always ask yourself the

question, Is the answer to the decision obvious? If yes, then it

will likely not be very interesting. Ensuring that there are pros andcons to any decision is a good way to help it be interesting. If you

find the Heroes arguing or agonising over a choice they have to

make then its likely youve made it interesting.

The AdversaryThe climax of the story will often include an appearance by the

Adversary itself. There are no restrictions on what the Adversary

can be. It can be hostile, benevolent, native to Anarktica or be

from somewhere else, all-knowing about the world or be as

ignorant beyond its borders as the world is about Anarktica,

natural, supernatural, mortal, immortal, or may not even exist.


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You should only look to ensure that the nature of the Adversary

fits the Final Confrontation youve designed. If its primarily a

physical challenge, then the Adversary should be sufficiently

powerful and yet still able to be defeated. If puzzles or ethics are

involved and the Adversary needs to be able to have dialogue with

the Heroes, then it must be sufficiently protected so that the

Heroes either cannot or do not wish to kill it out of hand. As with

all fantastical adventuring, always be aware that the Heroes may

well choose the most direct, and bloody, resolution to even the

most byzantine puzzle placed before them.

Every Final Confrontation should include the possibility of the

Heroes succeeding in defeating the Adversary in some manner.

However, defeat should not be limited to killing the Adversary off.

The Adversary can be defeated (and the Heroes thereby succeed)

by destroying or removing something or someone it values. It can

defeated by delaying or thwarting its plans for the rest of theworld. The Heroes can even succeed by escaping with some vital

piece of information that will enable the worlds armies a chance

to defeat the Adversary in the future.

Heroes can sometimes be hell-bent on destroying their enemy if

they believe thats the only way they can succeed. If you do want

to introduce different methods of victory then make it clear to the

group. Players can only play the game they know theyre playing. If

you make it clear and they still ignore what you say and carry on,

determined to take-down an immortal, invincible Adversary, then

at least they cant say they werent warned.


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AME ORDER SUMMARY

Setting UpThe players warm up and read out the 3 background sectionsEach player chooses a character and names themEach player reads out their character sheet to the groupThe Adversary player should read to themselves the 'Playing

as the Adversary' section

Each player (including the Adversary), either in secret or inthe open, chooses a Terrible Secret for their character from

those suggested by the other players. The Hero players showthe Adversary their chosen Terrible Secret.

Playing the GameThe Champion leads the first Opening Scene where they are

recruited by the Agent

The Savage leads the second Opening Scene with the AgentThe Mage leads the third Opening Scene with the AgentThe Agent sets up and leads the progress of the expedition

and its encounter with the Tsarists on the coast of Anarktica

The Adversary resolves the encounter and narrates thedestruction of the two expeditions

Starting with the player to the left of the Adversary, theHeroes describe their escape from the doomed expedition and

where they came ashore.At the start of each subsequent scene, the Hero chooses to

have a Journey or Rest scene, chooses a location and

narrates the scene

The other players add Location Events, threats, secondarycharacters and environment.

Final ConfrontationEpilogues

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Coast & Shipwreck Assignment of blame Aerial attack

Some alchemical act needs to be performed A half-burnt document is discoveredThe Wastes One of the party endangers the rest as a result of an element The Adversary takes control of the weather One of the Heroes encounters someone from their pastThe Iceberg Sea A Hero falls into the depths as a result of an element The Adversary demonstrates their power The Icebergs are home to a race of creaturesThe Crags The party is ambushed by a band of the Adversarys forces Remains of an earlier expedition are found Two characters are gripped by carnal passionThe Glacial Temple The Adversary sends an envoy A Hero has a vision of a route out of the Adversarys realm The Temple livesThe Hidden City Two tribes settle their differences Leadership is challenged A Hero has something of value stolenThe Inhuman Forest The party discovers how the Adversary punishes failure A Hero chooses between mercy and their own self-interest

EX

AMPLELOC

ATIONS&E

VENTS


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t is the year 1899 and the world is in the grip

of the Great Game as Victoria, the Everqueen

of the British Empire, duels with the North

Tsar of Russia for global supremacy.

Despite Tsarist advances in Central Asia, the

British conquests of Afghanistan and Sudan

have given them the upper hand. But now

the Scryers of the Court of St. James foretell

the emergence of the greatest threat to theEmpire since the demon Napoleon a century

before.

A new power is rising from beyond the

realms of the human nations, from theuncharted lands at the base of the world.

The frozen continent of Anarktica.

I

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Anarktica A5 Game Book

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